'The Burning Hills' star Tab Hunter has died just three days before his 87th birthday, following an influential career on the big screen.

The Hollywood star - who appeared in more than 40 films over his illustrious career - sadly passed away on Sunday (08.07.18), according to a post made on his social media page.

It simply reads: "Tab passed away tonight three days shy of his 87th birthday. Please honor his memory by saying a prayer on his behalf. He would have liked that."

No cause of death has been confirmed yet.

Born Arthur Gelien, the actor, musician and novelist had an influential career, and became one of the most popular stars of the 1950s in films like 'Track of the Cat' and 'Battle Cry'.

Hunter led what he described as a "double life", as he became famous at a time when homosexuality was a taboo subject in society.

It was recently reported that his secret love affair with Anthony Perkins is to be turned into a movie.

J.J. Abrams and his 'Star Trek' collaborator Zachary Quinto are set to work on 'Tab & Tony' - the true story of the romance between two of the most popular leading men of Hollywood's Golden Age - for Paramount, with the project based on the 'Lust in the Dust' star's autobiography, 'Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star', a first-person account of his struggle to come to terms with his sexuality.

As well as Abrams' Bad Robot Productions, Quinto will produce alongside publicist Neil Koenigsberg and Allan Glaser, who was Hunter's long-term partner at the time of his death and previously produced a 2015 documentary based on his lover's book.

Doug Wright will write the screenplay for the film, while a search is currently underway for a director and actors to be a part of the project.